Timer control for waffle baker signals



April 1, 1941. z n 2,237,147

TIMER CONTROL FOR \IAFFLE BAKER SIGNALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1940 N rm' mm mm" mm. 6 W: .0. Fm T M Invrftor-z 3 I eland m6 Kttdr-nes MUFr-O.

NOT

April 1, 1941'.

M. IRELAND v 2,237.14?

TIMER CONTROL FOR WAFFLE BAKER SIGNALS Filed April 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor; Murray Ireland waiile baker.

Patented 1941 ff =;.-uNi ,-E o TATE-s PATE T OFFICE azamu 'rnuaa con'rnonroa WAFFLE time SIGNALS Murray, Ireland, near Elgln; n1, assignor to McGraw Electric-Company, Elgin, 111., a corpow; ration of Delaware Application am-u '5, 1940, Serial Nae-1,98;

v g 7 Claims. Myinvention, relates to electriccooking' devices and particularly to means for signaling the completion of a cooking operation.

An object of m""'i1iv ntion is to provide a relatively simplesignaliand timer control means therefor. which signal timer shall be energized to start its operation simultaneously with the start of a cooking operation.

Another object of my invention is to" provide a relatively'simple and novel form-of control for a visual signal that shall be independent of the temperature control of the cooking device.

Another object of my invention is to provide a control means for asignal that shall be connected with theltemperature control means of the cooking'device in such manner that adjust- Fig. 2; is a fragmentary view showings. portion 9 of what; is shown-in Flg, 1, the control parts being shown as energized and started in operation,

be of the usual kind used in waflle bakers and which may be secured to and supported by the casing 23 in any suitable or desired manner not shown in detail in the drawings.

' Anupper casing 29 is provided andhas mounted therein an upper grid 3| which grid may be heldin the open bottom upper casing 29 in any suitable o'r-desired; manner now well known in the art.

Alower hinge casing 33 is suitably mounted against andsecured to the lower casing 23 and it cooperates with an upper hinge casing 35 to surround a hinge structure 3l-which maybe of any suitable or desired kind but includes particularly, a hinge shaft 39 which is secured to the upper hinge casing 29 whichvsupports the upper grid 3|. The shaft 39 has secured thereto a hub member 38 having a tooth 69 projecting there 'from which engages a similar projecting tooth lock the members 38 and II.

member 42 on the hub of a short arm 4| that is v freely mounted on said shaft 39. These projectingm'embers 38 and 42 form a jaw clutch to inter- This construction provides left and right-hand turning movement for said shaft 39 and the short arm 4| during the opening and closing movements of casing 35 'as best seen in full and broken lines of Fig. 4 for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The lower grid 21 has secured against its bottom surface an electric heating element 43, the design and construction of which constitutes no part of my invention and is therefore shown Fig.3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 33ofFig.1, -l Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a waiiie baker embodying my invention with a portion thereof element 45 it being understood that the upper broken 'away to show the timer-winding arm in a given position, I

Fig. 5 is a-detail sectional view taken on the lined-5 ofFig. I, I

6 is a detailed perspective view of certain parts of my. device,

t Fig. 7 is a sectional vertical view taken at right 5 angles to that shown in m. 1 and on the nne 1-1 01m. 1, v

' 11g, 8 is a plan sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.1, and, 4 Fig, 9 is a wiring diagram used in, my improved I have elected to show the device embodyin my, invention as associated with and mounted in a waille baker 2|, which waflle baker comprises sulating supports or legs 25 therebelow. The casing 23 supports. a-wailie baker grid 21 which may casing 23.

mainly for the-purpose of illustrating an electrically heated waffle baker grid. The upper grid 3| has associated therewith an-electric heating and the lower electric heating elements may be of the same or of like design and construction.

Clamping means -for holding the two heating elements against their respective grid surfaces may include a lower-thin sheet metal plate 41 and an upper thin sheet metal plate l9."v The plate 41 may beheld in heating element clamping position by studs 5| which studs may also serve as a means for holding a lower closure plate 53 in proper operative position relatively to the lower plate 09 may be held in its proper operative position as by a single central screw 55 engaging a,

projecting lug on the upper surface of grid 3|. Reference to Fig. 9 of the drawings will illustrate the diagram of connections of the electrical ele- .a lower casing- 23 having a plurality of heat-inments in the waflle baker and it is therefore to be understood that conductors will extend between the-upper and the lower heating elements The upper heating element clamping v mitof connecting the heating elements to a suitable source of supply of electric energy in a manner well known in the art,

The lower grid 21 is provided with a diametrally extending projection or boss 59 integral with the grid ltself,"'tl' iis boss having an aperture IiI- drilled therein to receive a plurality of short and a twin conductor cord 51 is provided to per- ..-train, as well as a means for carying the dura tion of the run-down period of the timerand reference maybe had to Patent No. 2,147,376 issued February 15, 1939, to- L. ,V. Lucia and assigned to the same assignee as is my present.

- application. for further detailsof a timer of the non-expansible refractory elements or rods' 63,

which are held in proper operative position by an adjustable set screw 65 interfitting with one end of the apertured boss 59. As substantially all of the waiile baker rids now used are =made of aluminum, it is obvious that they will expand radially or diametrally thereof on being heated and since the short members 63 are substantially non-expansible or contractible under temperature changes, the other end of the set of non-expansible elements 63 will move relatively to thegrid and more particularly relatively to the other" end of the boss 59, it being noted, as

may be supported from plate 41 as by a plurality 'of' studs -I03 or in any other suitable or desired manner.

Lever arm 4| has a slot I05 in its outer end into which there fits a' pin I01 connected to one end of a timer-winding link I09, the other endof shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, that the last element 63 extends beyond or outwardly of the end of the boss 59.

A manually adjustable. contact member 91 is insulatedly mounted on..a support 69 which support prises a shaft I5 having a knob II mounted thereon outside of'the lower casing 23 the shaft I5 support 69 so that turning movement of knob.

'I'l will cause longitudinal shifting of disc 83 and corresponding movement of contact member 61 which, it is to be understood, is insulatedly supported on member.

"The exposed end of the non-expansible' element, including particularlythe plurality of short rods.63, engages against a lever arm 81 which has a knife-edge support ina bracket 09,-a' biasing spring 9i tending to turn the bar 91 in a clockwise direction to cause the upper end thereof,.as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings, to be pressed againstthe ed end-"of the last element fl.

A resilient contact bar 93 is mounted on and exmember I09 having a hook III'thereon at the other end, which hook is adapted to engage with the timer-winding arm 99 in a manner as will now be described. Member. I09 is supported for longitudinal movement in a support II3 which may be of substantially channel-shape inlateral section and which may be supported from the plate H as by bracket portions H5 secured against plate 41 in any suitable or desired manner. The arm I09 is provided with extended slots I I9 therein through which short headed studs III may project, these studs having a compression spring 9' thereon held by nuts I2I on the lower ends of the respective pins III to thereby yieldingly hold link I09 against the bottom surface of its support H3.

It is, of course, necessary that'the hook end of member I09 be disengaged from the timerwinding arm 99 at the end of the desired amount of winding of the timer and for this purpose link I09 is provided with an upwardly extending flange rivet I29 as shown in Figs. 6 and '8, so that cam tends beyond the lower end-of member 81 and the energization of the heating elements of the waiile baker grids.

It is to be understood that the design and construction of the hereinbefore described thermally controllable switch for the grid heaters is such that the contacts 61 and 95 will be in engagement with each other at lower temperatures and that the cooperating action of the non-expansible rods and of the expansible grid will cause disengagement of the contact members and deenergization of the electric heating elements when the grids.

have been heated to a predetermined adjustable temperature determined by the operator with the help of the knob 11.

A mechanical timer 91, shown generally only' in Fig. 7 of the drawings, may be of any suitable or desired type including a spring member, means forwinding up said spring and a retarding gear I2] is caused to move longitudinally when the *operator turns adjustingWnob -'I'| to vary the average temperature of both grids of the waiiie baker. Plate I29 is slidably supported at one side of member II! as by 'pins I9l fixed inone side of member IIS and extending through elongatedrslots I92 in plate I29. The design and construction of these parts is such that when the operator turns knob 11 to increase the operating temperature of the grids, plate I29 and cam surface I2| are moved longitudinally toward the left as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings so that disengagement of the hook end of member I09 will .be effected earlier and the timer will therefore be wound up to a lesser degree than will be the case if the operator adjusts knob 11 to cause the thermal control to providea lower average operatingtemperature in the grids during operation of the waiiie baker.

It is to be understood that I may omit this justing arm IIII whereby an operator may vary the running-down of the mechanical timer 91,

this means including a lever arm I33 mounted on and adaptedto be turned by a rod I34 having mounted thereon an adjusting knob I35 fixed on the shaft outside of the casing 23. Theinner end of rod I34 may be supported as by a bearing.

member I31 secured to the timer structure orsupport in any other suitable or desired manner for its intended purpose. 'As will .be noted by reference to the above mentioned Lucia pa nt,

turning movement of arm III If effected by turning movement of knob I35 in the present instance, will cause the timer-winding arm 99' to be disengaged from the gear train of the-timer at a b time manually adjustable at the will of an operator, the timer-winding arm 99 then moving quickly to its final position substantially as shown in Flg. 8 of the drawings.

99"at its outer end and this contact bridging memberis adapted to engage a pair: of contact members I which are insulatedly supported as by a bracket I43 supported by the lower grid assembly in any suitable or desired manner.

Reference tofFig. 9 of the drawings-will indi-v cate that when contact members I are en-' gaged by contact bridging member I39, the circuit through a visual signal I45 such asa small incandescent lamp, will be closed and, as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, I may energize said visual signal as by connecting it to a small part of say the lower heating resistor 43 associated with the lower grid 21.

I am aware of the fact that signal means for indicating the termination of a waffle baking A contact bridging member I39 is insulatedly supported by the arm heating elements. The operator will thus be ad 4 vised by discontinuance of the illumination of the translucent covering for the. signal I that the grids have been heated up sufliciently to permit of starting the first wailie baking operation by moving the upper grid to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings, pouring on the batter andzthen moving the upper grid and casing to their proper operative position on the lower .grid, substantially as shown for instance in Fig. '7 of the drawings. When the upper grid is moved down into engagement with the lower grid, the link I09 is caused to move longitudinally of its length to the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the hook end'thereof engaging timer-winding arm 99 andcausing turning and winding When the timer-winding arm has been moved I back into'its normal position, as shown in Fig. 8

. pleted.

operation have been provided in WailIe bakers made and sold in the United States but in each of these devices the mechanical timer controlling the energization of the signal to indicate the termination of a baking operation has been manually started as by the operator moving a lever arm which extended outside of say the lower casing. This had the .substantially fatal drawback that the timer was not necessarily started and energized simultaneously with the initiation of a wame baking operation but that anoperator could start the operation of the signal controlling 7 short time or for a longer time.

waflie baker and particularly by the upper grid and casing which is angularly movable relatively to the lower grid and casing. As shown, for instance, in full lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings ,the

upper grid is in its ,open positionwhere it is out of engagement with the lower grid, to permit of batter being poured on the. heated lower grid.

It is to be understendjof course, thatthe main heating elements are to be initially energizedfor.

a sufllcient length of time to cause proper temperature rise of the grids and it may be here pointed out that the visual signal I45 will indicate by being lighted and giving out its light through a translucent covering I45 over a suitable opening in the lower casing, that the heaters are energized and it .will be further evident that when.

ofthe drawings, the engagement 0t bridging member I39 with contacts I4I will cause the signal I45 to be reenergized and indicate to an operator that the baking operation has been com- As was hereinbefore set forth, adjustment of the operating temperature of the grids will vary the amount of winding up of the timer and I prefer to so arrange this interconnection that a shorter operating time will be automatically provided when the operating temperature has been adjusted for a higher value than will be the case when the operating temperature adjustment is for a lower value. As noted above, however, this feature may be omitted, if desired.

I wish to point-out that my invention makesit possible for a user of a waflle baker having my signal control associated therewith to bake a watlie at a low temperature for a relatively long time or for a relatively short time and also to bake a waflle at a high temperature for either .a This means that the duration of a baking operation can be made independent of the grid temperature.

It is further obvious that it is possible for an operator to vary the running-down time of the winder by manually adjusting knob I25 to thereby vary the length of' time the winding arm will move slowly .as determined by the retarding mechanism usually comprising a train of gears and an escapement, all as disclosed and claimed in the abovementioned Lucia patent.

\ It is therefore obvious that the timer conupper grid was in its upper position disengaged from the lower. grid and therefore is started simultaneously with the starting of a waflle baking operation.

While I have illustrated and described a single embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that Since changes and modifications may be made therein" and I therefore desire that all such modifications as clearly come within the scope of the appended claims shall be considered to be covered thereby.

I claim as my invention: 1. In awaiiie baker including a lower'grid, an upper grid movable away from and into engagev ment with the lower grid and electric heating means for each of said grids, the improvement comprising a visual signal for-indicating the termination of a baking operation, a mechanical timer for controlling said signal, a timer-winding arm on said'timer, a linlv connected to the upper grid and movable thereby-into engagement with the timer-winding arm when the upper grid is moved away from the lower grid and is moved to cause wind-up of the mechanical timer when theupper grid'is moved into engagement with h the lower grid and means engaging said link near the end of its timer-winding movement to disengage it from said timer-winding arm and means on said time-winding arm for causing energization of the signal when the timer has completed its operation.-

2. In a waiile baker including a lower grid, an upper grid, hinge means connecting said grids Ior relative angular movement out of and into engagement witheach other and electric heating means for said grids, the improvement comprising a visual signal for indlcatingthe termina-' ment with the lower grid, means to cause release or the hookend of the link from the tlmer-winding arm prior to engagement of the upper and the lower grid and means on said timer-winding arm for causing energization of the signal when the timer has fully run down. J

3. Adevice as set forth in claim 1 and includ ing manually-adjustable grid-temperature con-.

trol means and meansconnecting the grid-temperature control means and the link-disengaging means to cause the link to be disengaged from the timer-winding arm at a point depending on the adjustment of the grid-temperature control means.

'4. A device as set forth in claim 1 and including manually-adjustable grid-temperature control means and means connecting the grid-temperature control means and the link-disengaging means to cause the link to be disengaged from the timer-winding arm with lesser degree or winding or the timer as the grid-temperature control means is adjusted for a higher temperature setting.

tion of a baking operation, a mechanical timer, a

timer-winding arm on said timer; a lever arm fixedly operatively secured to andmovable, with.

the upper .grid, a link-having one end connected to said lever arm and having its other end of substantially hook-shape and adapted on angular movement of the upper grid away from the lower grid to cause the hook-shaped end to engage the timer-winding arm and to cause the. link to move a the timer-winding arm to wind up the timer when the upper grid is moved toward and into engage 5. A device as set forth-in claim 2 and including, means comprising manually-adjustable grid- Y temperature control means for varying the de-' and manually-adjustable means for varying the running-down time of the timer.-

7. A device as set forth in claim 2 and includ- J ing manually-adjustable means for simultane-f ously varying the operating temperature of the grids and the wind-up of the timer and for varying the running-down time of the timer.

MURRAY IRELAND. 

